National Science and Technology Council   CENR Charter

                         COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

                             NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

 
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) is hereby established by action of the National
Science and Technology Council (NSTC).

The CENR serves as part of the internal deliberative process of the NSTC, which provides overall guidance and
direction. The NSTC shall serve as the forum for developing consensus and resolving issues raised by the
Committee process.
 

Purpose

The purpose of the CENR is to advise and assist the NSTC to increase the overall effectiveness and productivity of
Federal research and development (R&D) efforts in the area of the environment and natural resources. The CENR
will address science policy matters and R&D efforts that cut across agency boundaries and provide a formal
mechanism for interagency coordination relevant to domestic and international environmental and natural resources
issues.

The CENR will act to improve the coordination of all Federal environmental and natural resource research and
development and to improve the link between science and policy. This includes maintaining and improving the
science and technology base for environmental and natural resource issues, developing a balanced and
comprehensive R&D program, establishing a structure to improve the way the Federal Government plans and
coordinates environmental and natural resource R&D in both a national and international context, and to develop
environment and natural resources R&D budget crosscuts and priorities.

Functions

Reporting to and under the direction of the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Research will:

• develop a National Environmental and Natural Resource R&D Strategy; facilitate planning, coordination, and communication among Federal agencies engaged in environmental and natural resources R&D;
• identify and recommend environmental and natural resources R&D budget priorities;
• propose and update long-range plans for the overall Federal R&D effort relating to the environment and natural resources;
• review Federal R&D programs pertaining to the environment and natural resources, including both domestic and international programs;

Membership

The following departments and agencies are represented on the CENR at the Assistant Secretary level or above:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of Interior

Department of Justice

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Environmental Protection Agency

National Science Foundation

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Smithsonian Institution

Tennessee Valley Authority

Federal Emergency Management Agency
 

In addition the following shall also be represented on the Committee:

Office of Environmental Policy

Office of Management and Budget

The National Economic Council

Council of Economic Advisors

Domestic Policy Council

Private Sector Interface

The CENR will recommend to the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology the nature of private sector advice needed to accomplish its mission. The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology will take necessary steps to ensure appropriate interactions between the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) and the NSTC. The CENR may also interact with and receive ad hoc advice from various private sector groups as consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Termination Date

Unless renewed by the Chairman of NSTC prior to its expiration, the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources shall terminate no later than December 31, 2000.

Determination

I hereby determine that the formation of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Research is in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on the Executive Branch by law and that such duties can best be performed through the advice and counsel of such a group.